Page 147 of Nocere

"Yes." Alex nearly giggled. "Let's go."

"None of that now." Ainsley swatted my hand as I attempted to pull out cash. "I'm surprised I even got you to go out to a restaurant. Also, Jordan is paying. We weren't kidding."

"Go." Jordan waved us off. "Go buy flowers for your girlfriend."

Just hearing her say it made me smile despite the lurch of anxiety in my belly. "Okay. Thank you for lunch."

"Of course, Goldilocks. Go impress that girl." Jordan winked at me and I chuckled at her silly nickname.

Alex and I hurried from the pizza place and down the blustery street toward the flower shop. With a pep in her step, she nearly bounced beside me after hooking her elbow with mine.

"Maybe I should send Sara some flowers…"

"Are you guys getting serious?"

"A little. We've been seeing each other at least twice a week for a month and we talk all the time."

"How much do you like her?"

"A lot…" Her lip found its way between her teeth.

"Tell her, Alex. Be honest. And don't bring her near Frankie," I said, giving her arm a squeeze.

"Do you think it's too soon for me to jump into something after Frankie?" She glanced at me when I pulled the door to the flower shop open for her.

"You and Frankie were over way before you actually called it off." I gestured for her to head in first then followed. "It's not too soon."

"Sara's competent, independent, and she treats me with way more kindness than I expected."

"She treats you with kindness that you should expect," I said while we browsed the arrangements and plants. "Frankie was terrible to you."

"I know." She pointed to the roses in the coolers. "So many."

"Yeah." While I gazed at the pretty flowers, none of them struck me as a representation of my feelings for Sam. Every rose, red, white, purple, and yellow, just didn't feel right.

It wasn't until we came upon a bunch of sunflowers that I felt my heart give a happy skip. I pointed at them and glanced to Alex.

"A sweet sunflower for your sexy girl?" she said with a smile.

"Yes." I nodded my agreement and then made my way over to the clerk. "It's perfect."

"She'll love it." Alex nearly giggled.

When I returned to work after choosing the perfect arrangement for Sam—a sunflower nestled between purple accents and wrapped in brown paper—I found Rebecca waiting for me in my office. She stood up the moment I entered, and the gentle, but sad smile that she wore told me everything I needed to know before a word left either of us.

My heart sank, and my throat tightened immediately. She held her arms to me and I gulped down my emotions before allowing them to escape.

"C'mon, sweet girl. Let's go home." She smooched my cheek and let out a soft sigh before leading me right back out the door.

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